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Effect of Parallel Curtain Walls on Upward Flame Spread Characteristics and Mass Loss Rate Over PMMA

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Abstract

The effects of parallel curtain walls on the characteristics and mass loss rate of the upward flame spread over polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) have been experimentally studied. The experimental research variables were the sample size and separation distance of the curtain wall. In the experimental setup, a PMMA plate was attached to one of the curtain walls. The results were analyzed to assess the effect of the curtain wall separation distance on the flame height. The special condition of two curtain walls with only a small distance between them was also analyzed. Analysis of experiments with systematically varied distances between the curtain walls has provided insight into factors such as air entrainment and the chimney effect. The results show the flame height evolution trend with the separation distance, and a new correlation to predict the global mass loss rate of the PMMA plate under the influence of parallel curtain walls, which can potentially be used in curtain wall design through optimization of the separation distance given fire safety requirements and practical needs.

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Abbreviations

\(B\) :

Mass transfer number

\(c_{p}\) :

Specific heat of air \({\text{J/(g}} \cdot {\text{K)}}\)

\(D\) :

Hydraulic diameter (m)

\(g\) :

Acceleration of gravity (\({\text{m/s}}^{{2}}\))

\(I\) :

Separation distance between installed parallel curtain wall and facade (m)

\(k_{w}\) :

Thermal conductivity of gas phase \({\text{W/(m}} \cdot {\text{K)}}\)

\(K\) :

Global non-dimensional correction factor

\(L\) :

Sample length (m)

\(\dot{m}_{W,\infty }\) :

Front entrainment for free boundary condition (\({\text{g/s}}\))

\(\Pr\) :

The Prandtl number

\(Ra_{L}\) :

The Rayleigh number

\(S\) :

Total surface area (\({\text{m}}^{{2}}\))

\(T^{\prime}\) :

Sample thickness (m)

\(T_{f}\) :

Film temperature (K)

\(T_{flame}\) :

Flame temperature (K)

\(T_{pyrolysis}\) :

Pyrolysis temperature (K)

\(T_{\infty }\) :

Ambient temperature (K)

\(W\) :

Sample width (m)

\(\dot{m}_{f}\) :

Mass loss rate (g/s)

\(\dot{m}_{f,I}\) :

Mass loss rate with curtain wall separation distance of I (g/s)

\(\dot{m}_{f,\infty }\) :

Mass loss rate without curtain wall (g/s)

\(\dot{m}_{total,I}\) :

Total entrainment with curtain wall separation distance of I (g/s)

\(\dot{m}_{total,\infty }\) :

Total entrainment without curtain wall (g/s)

\(\dot{m}_{{T^{\prime},I}}\) :

Side entrainment with curtain wall separation distance of I (g/s)

\(\dot{m}_{{T^{\prime},\infty }}\) :

Side entrainment for free boundary condition (g/s)

\(\dot{m}_{W,I}\) :

Front entrainment with curtain wall separation distance of I (g/s)

\(\alpha\) :

Thermal diffusivity (m2/s)

\(\beta\) :

Thermal expansion coefficient

\(\delta\) :

Entrainment strength

\(\lambda\) :

Relative strength difference between side entrainment and front entrainment

\(\upsilon\) :

Kinematic viscosity (m2/s)

\(\alpha_{s}\) :

Thermal diffusivity

\(\tau\) :

The characteristic time for solid sample to be exposed to the heat from the gas phase

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Nature Science Founds of China (Grant Nos. 52076066 and 51776060), and SAFEA: High-End Foreign Experts Project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Fire Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, Anhui, China

    Zunxin Zhao & Fei Tang

  2. School of Automotive and Transportation Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, Anhui, China

    Zunxin Zhao & Lei Chen

  3. FireSERT, Belfast School of Architecture and the Built Environment, University of Ulster, Newtownabbey, BT37 0QB, UK

    Jianping Zhang

  4. Warwick fire, School of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK

    Jennifer Wen

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  1. Zunxin Zhao
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  2. Fei Tang
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Zhao, Z., Tang, F., Chen, L. et al. Effect of Parallel Curtain Walls on Upward Flame Spread Characteristics and Mass Loss Rate Over PMMA. Fire Technol 59, 53–72 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10694-021-01179-x

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